Discovery of his godfather's Life
by kwidditchfan
Summary: Teddy Lupin finds out the story of Harry Potter and has some questions. Not sure how long it will be.. 9 or 10 chapters?. Very slight references to Remembering Guilt, but is completely understandable on its own.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I definitely do not own Harry Potter. Pretty obvious, but still...**

**This is just a little fic about what happens when Teddy finds out who Harry Potter is – when he's at Hogwarts. This will be my first chaptered fic, and I will get the next chapter up sometime in the next week, if not today. Enjoy!**

"Harry Potter."

The voice resonated above the noisy din of Number 12 Grimmauld Place's kitchen.

"Uncle Harry, are you there?"

It was the voice of a young boy; Teddy RemusLupin to be exact. Harry seemed to be expecting this 'call', and with a quick "Excuse me, dear" to Ginny, he left his dinner and a bemused family to run upstairs to his bedroom mirror. Looking into it he saw, not himself, but the face of a brown-haired, blue-eyed boy of about 11 years.

"Teddy, are you ok? How's Hogwarts?"

"It's great, uncle. And I'm, a Gryffindor, and so's Sophie, and Max is in Slytherin. They're the friends I made on the Express. But I don't want to talk about Hogwarts, I want to ask you something." Teddy said this all very quickly while staring out of the mirror, and his blue eyes slowly changed to match Harry's vibrant green.

"Ask away," Harry smiled. "What about me?"

"Well, Max said something funny on the train yesterday. And I, well, can I just show you?"

"Of course you can, if it's easier."

The boy put his wand to his forehead as he had been shown by his godfather, and after a look of utmost concentration extracted a thin, silvery substance. He reached out forwards, until he appeared to touch the glass, and it dissolved into a picture of a carriage, completely blocking out his face

"Mind if I sit here? Are you first years too?"

"Yeah, I'm Max Hugin, and she's Sophie Foxwell. And you are?" A boy with a muscular build and sleek black hair stood up quickly, offering his hand.

"Teddy. Teddy Lupin."

"Oh, I've heard of your parents," said a blonde girl sitting in the corner of the carriage, reading a gigantic book. "Or, at least, I think I have. Are you the son of RemusLupin and NympadoraTonks?"

"Y-yes. How have you heard of them? They're not famous, well, not particularly."

"I am, for want of better words, a history geek. I love history, especially modern history. So mum and dad got me this book," she held up the book he had previously noted, "which covers the happenings of the last hundred years in the wizarding world. Naturally it has all major battles, and it lists all the defenders in the battle of Hogwarts, both the fallen and the survivors. And of course I've practically learnt this book inside out. I'm awfully sorry you never really knew your parents. They were incredibly brave weren't they?"

"Yeah, I guess." Max obviously saw Teddy's discomfort because he quickly changed the subject.

"What house do you want to be in?"

"Ravenclaw. Well, I guess Gryffindor wouldn't be too bad, but I think I'll probably end up in ravenclaw," said Sophie.

"Gryffindor, or hufflepuff," Teddy volunteered. "My godfather and my dad were in Gryffindor, my mum and granddad in hufflepuff. I wouldn't really mind ravenclaw either, my gran was in it, and practically all my extended family on my mum's side were in slytherin. So I don't know where I'm going. But my brothers are dead set on being gryffindors though, their entire family – mum, dad, all our aunts, uncles, grandparents were gryffindors, I'm pretty sure, so I do kind of want to go there, so as not to disappoint them."

"Hang on. Yourbrothers. But I thought your parents were – sorry – dead," said Max bluntly.

"My godfather, Uncle Harry, has children, and they are all like my younger siblings. I have loads of younger cousins, too. My brothers are Albus and James, and then there's Lily Lu, who's 2. But she always gets me to play stuff with her, like being princes and princesses. Silly really, but I'll miss her all the same."

"Princes and princesses?"

"Yeah, you sound like a parrot. No, it's very sweet, or rather, she is. And it is fun when Al and James barge in being knights or whatnot."

"But don't you ever play anything cool with, err, Al and James? I dunno, like Harry Potter?"

Teddy froze, did he hear him right? "Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, now who's being the parrot? Seriously, don't tell me you've never heard of him, you've obviously been brought up with wizards. He's Harry Potter!"

"I know him. But how do you?"

"Don't be daft, of course I don't know him. But heard of him certainly. He only saved the whole wizarding world, and fought You-know-who a hundred gazillion times."

Sophie looked up again "The First Wizarding War, circa 1970 lasting until 1981. The Dark Lord was vanquished by Harry James Potter, bringing it to a sudden close. The Second Wizarding War, 1995 until 2nd May 1998. Harry Potter killed He-who-must-not-be-named bringing peace to all wizards and muggles. It's all in the book." She shook the book at a bewildered Teddy.

"Honestly, how you know this stuff," Max shook his head at Sophie. "But yeah, it's as Sophie said. Pure fact."

"But-why-I don't understand."

"No-one does," said Max. "But Harry Potter is one seriously cool guy."

"But I don't get why he didn't tell me."

"Who?Oh, why your godfather never told you the story, which most kids know, since, like, forever?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't Uncle Harry tell me?"

"Uncle Harr- you don't mean to say that your godfather is Harry Potter? Dude, that is totally awesome."

"I guess..." said Teddy as the memory ended. Harry reminded himself that he was, in fact, conversing through a mirror to a confused and upset godson, and was not in a carriage on his way to Hogwarts.

"Well?"

"It's not true is it? What Max and Sophsaid? Is it?" He looked hopefully into Harry's sorrowful face.

"I'm afraid Teddy, that it is."

"All of it"

"Yeah, all of it. I'm not proud of it, but..."

"So you killed someone." The hurt teddy felt was clearly portrayed though his tone of voice, and Harry understood only too well how he felt.

"I had to Teddy. I- he – I'll explain another time, I promise. But not now, not in a mirror."

"And that'll be when? Christmas? Uncle Harry, please. I want answers."

"Ted, honest, I know you do. And I'll try to get permission to come to Hogwarts this weekend, or next, at least. I'll talk to McGonagall, she'll be okay with it, I'm sure. I'll tell you everything. Just promise me you won't talk to anyone else about this, 'kay? I want to tell you by myself, not a garbled account you'll get from others."

"Thanks. I'd like that. But, one more thing – do Al and Jamie know?"

"Yes. They do."

"And you never thought of telling me, too? I thought you loved me!"

"Teddy, Teddy! We only told them yesterday, well, and this morning before breakfast. I was going to tell you later, after lessons. Its- I guess you could say it's quite an adult story, the whole of it, and, forgive me Teddy, I didn't want you to know before you were ready. I loved you too much to let you know the cruelty of the world. Honestly, I sound like Professor Dumbledore. But yesterday I had to tell the boys, and on Saturday I'll tell you, though I just wish I didn't have to."

"Did- did many bad things happen to you, Uncle Harry? I once heard Grandma Weasley say that you never had a childhood, but I didn't really understand it."

"No, no, I was never happier than I was at Hogwarts. Before the war. But I think you could just about say lots of bad things happened to me. Yes, Ted, I think you could say that."

"Oh." Teddy was lost for words, but Harry broke the silence with an awkward chuckle.

"Don't worry, Teddy. I won't tell you more than you can handle. Just enjoy Hogwarts. Now, is it just me, or do you have 5 minutes to eat your breakfast and find your way to your first lesson?"

"Galloping gargoyles! Yes, I do. See you on Saturday, Uncle Harry!"

"I have no doubt you will. Bye for now – If you haveany more problems, just message me."

"Yeah, I will do. Bye!"

Harry watched as the picture swerved to show a portrait opening, and a flight of stairs, before it disappeared. The next minute, Harry was looking at himself, wondering what to do next.

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><p><strong>I'd love to have a review, but I don't really mind if you'd prefer to read other stories. I generally do. [Symbol] And sorry if it was awful, I just had to put the ideas down...<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so here's the 2nd chapter, sorry I took so long in writing it. And there will definitely be more coming, hopefully in the next week. And thanks to evryone who added it to favourites or story alert, it really made my day :) Enjoy!**

"Alright, I'm off. See you later!"

"See you. Have you got some lunch with you?"

"No, McGonagall said I could have it at Hogwarts. Love you!"

"Love you too."

Thus Harry quickly exited the house, and apparated to Hogsmeade when he got on the first step outside Number 12. He knew there was really no point in doing it, but just for old times' sake, he told himself. He walked briskly up to the castle, and found his way to Professor Dumbledore's – Professor McGonagall's office. Knocking and entering upon the words, "Come in", he sat down in a chair opposite his old transfiguration teacher, and long since friend.

"Harry," she said, "I suppose you'll want to go and see him straight away?"

"I suppose will," he replied. "No, seriously Professor, can I just go up to Gryffindor tower? Do I have to, I don't know, sign in or anything?"

The old professor laughed. "You've been working too long at the ministry," she said jokingly, "No, you can just go down to the common room – he's in your old dormitory, I believe. And you may want to stay out of the way of the students. They would probably find much excitement in knowing that Harry Potter was in the castle." She smiled with warmth, and a twinkle in her eye, but Harry knew she was right.

"Don't worry, Professor, I've got my invisibility cloak with me." He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Potter?" He looked at Professor McGonagall. "Try not to get into too much trouble."

"I don't find trouble, trouble usually finds me!" he said, repeating the time-old phrase, but it was an old joke, and he left her office with a huge smile on his face. It was good to be back.

He slipped on the cloak, and made his way along the all too familiar corridors, hoping that he wouldn't get lost. Although he had a different house now, he knew he could never forget Hogwarts as being his first true home, so he easily navigated the staircases, though got completely caught out by the trip step. Finally he reached the Fat Lady and gave the password McGonagall had previously given him.

"Uncle Harry!" shouted his godson, and he saw Teddy's beaming face coming towards him. "Come up to my dormitory, I've asked everyone if it's ok for me to have it to myself today as I have an important visitor."

"That would be great!" Harry replied, and followed his godson up the staircase to his bedroom, and sat down on a bed opposite Teddy.

"Ok, so, what do you want to know? I have all day, but I'm not quite sure where to start."

"Um, could you just tell me everything?"

"Alright. But can you ask me your questions; I think that may be easier for me, than to just give a narrative of my life. I'll answer all of them, if I can."

"Erm, okay, when did your, sorry, parents die, and why?""

Harry sighed. This was going to be a long day. "Have you heard of You-know-who?" he asked. Teddy nodded.

"Yeah, but only a bit, he was the guy who Max was talking about on the train." He added in a quieter voice. "The person you killed."

"That's true. Well, he was an extremely evil wizard, I cannot describe him better than that, and he terrorised the country for 11 years, as Sophie told you. It was a bad time, Teddy. I was born in 1980, and my mum and dad were in hiding because of a prophecy. V – You-know-who managed to kill them eventually, when I was one, leaving me an orphan in the 'care' of my uncle and aunt, the Dursleys."

"How were they hidden? And how did You-know-who find them? And why is he called You-know-who?"

"Slow down Teddy, one question at a time. They were hidden in their home by a fidelius charm. You know, like my house, which you can only find if I tell you where it is."

"So how were they found? Who was the – secret keeper?"

"A friend who betrayed them. And that's all I will say."

"Oh."

Harry really didn't want to explain about his father's 'friend' unless it was absolutely necessary.

"So, You-know-who killed my parents, and also tried to kill me. But he gave – mum – a choice to save herself – but she wouldn't – so the spell he used on me backfired. And kind of killed him, well, it made him disappear or a while, anyway. And I was 'the-boy-who-lived', and famous all over the wizarding world."

"How come he only sort of died if a killing curse backfired?"

"He had used really, really dark magic to make things called Horcruxes. They are objects in which you encase part of your soul after breaking it, so you cannot truly die. The only way to make one is to kill someone, although that was no barrier to V – You-know-who."

Teddy shivered, but fired another question. "Uncle Harry, why do you keep on saying V-You-know-who?"

"Because his real name, or, at least, the name which most people know him as is Lord V-, Lord V-, no, something. Sorry. But You-know-who got so bad that people are afraid of him, and his name."

"But surely not you, Uncle Harry? You're brave, an-and strong. Why are you afraid of a name?" Teddy looked as though his entire world had fallen around his ears.

"Not as much as some people would like to think," whispered Harry. Then he raised his voice a little, and looked straight at Teddy. "When he was alive, Teddy, he hurt me, he hurt me bad. And he hurt my friends. And then, several years after he had gone, one of his followers came after me. And I-I haven't been able to say his name – hi-his real name – since." To Teddy's horror, his godfather then completely broke down in tears, something he had only witnessed once in his life. And more than anything, he wanted to know what exactly, who exactly had ruined his Uncle Harry's life so much that he could not even say a name.

He went over and sat on the bed next to Harry. He wrapped his arm round the older man awkwardly, and gave him a hug, like he used to give Teddy when Teddy was upset.

"Sorry, Teddy, I'm sorry. I'm just...it's only...Just ask me another question, would you?" He took a deep breath, as did Teddy.

"So, you went to live with the Dursleys. For how long? And what were they like?"

"I lived at the Dursleys for 16 years, until I left school, but once I got my Hogwarts letter, I only went there for the summer holidays, and mostly not the whole of it. They weren't decent to me, I think, not that most muggles are like that. But some muggles are bad, just like some wizards are bad. Next question."

"No, Uncle Harry, I won't let you get away with that. How bad were these Dursleys to you? And don't just say pretty bad."

"Teddy, I told you in the mirror that I wouldn't tell you anything that you couldn't handle."

"But, Uncle, I can handle this. I'm not Al or James, I'm not tooyoung. Whatever you went through, I want to know, and understand. I have no idea what your childhood was like, you rarely even told us anecdotes about school. I know nothing! I guess it must have been quite bad though, if you don't think I can handle it. So if you can't, don't, but don't think I can't."

"You're right, Ted, I guess the time has come when I must. But I won't tell you anything I haven't told Ginny. I mean, she went berserk at most of the things I did tell her. And give me your wand, just so you don't accidentally hex something – I made that mistake with Ginny." he half-joked, holding his palm out to accept the wand his godson begrudgingly handed over.

"Okay, I'm not really sure what to say. They didn't like me, were prejudiced against me because I was a wizard. Of course, I didn't know I was a wizard then, they never told me, so I just assumed they hated me because I was a worthless freak."

Teddy looked enraged. "They told you that you were a worthless freak? And you believed it? How old were you? They were teasing you, weren't they?" But he knew that his words were not so.

"No, Teddy," his uncle confirmed. "They meant it. I thought my name was 'freak' until I went to school. When the teacher called out the register on the first few days, I didn't answer, as I was not aware my name was Harry Potter." He laughed, but without mirth. "Even with so many wizards knowing my name throughout the country."

"But that's horrible," exclaimed Teddy.

"Yeah, I know that now, and I kind of knew it then, but it was life." He shrugged. "It was how I lived, I got used to it. I was always slightly jealous of my cousin, Dudley; when I was younger, anyway. I aspired to be like him in everything, but got told off if I did as well as him, or better. Dudley was perfect in everything he did, and I was just the boy they didn't want. Dudley got birthdays and Christmas, I didn't. Dudley was encouraged to beat me up; I was encouraged to let him. Dudley had a bedroom, I got a cupboard – "

"What!" Teddy shouted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said," replied Harry, calmly. "Until the first Hogwarts letter was delivered, my bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs."

"But – but – "

"But what?"

"That's not very nice, is it?"

"No, I don't suppose it was. But they weren't very nice people. And I coped, I was small, and I didn't know it could be any other way."

"Why didn't you complain?"

"I told you, I didn't think it could be changed. Anyway, I wasn't allowed to argue with my aunt and uncle."

"Some aunt and uncle," muttered Teddy. "You weren't allowed to argue about a totally unjust rule!"

"Well, yeah," said Harry. "That was one of their rules. Otherwise – no, don't worry."

"Otherwise what, Uncle Harry? What?"

"No, I-I haven't told Ginny about – that - aspect of my life. And I definitelywon't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Why? Please, Uncle Harry. I want to know what happened to you, everything."

"NO! I'VE TOLD YOU ALREADY! I CAN'T TEDDY, I WON'T!" Harry was standing up now, but he was not angry, not really, however much he looked like it. "I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK THERE, AND HAVE TO REMEMBER! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS LIKE, DO YOU? YOU NEVER WILL! NONE OF YOU! YOU'VE ALL BEEN LOVED TO BITS, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD BE, UNTIL I WAS AT SCHOOL! SO SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

Teddy had curled up on the bed, and Harry's eyes fell on him, and on his own outstretched arm.

"Merlin, Teddy, I'm so sorry. It's just, I can't. I didn't mean that, I didn't mean to shout. Merlin, Ted, what have I become?" he collapsed on Teddy's bed, and Teddy once again pulled him into a hug. His godfather had never scared him like that before, and he felt for sure that Harry had been going to hit him, but he hadn't. He wished and wished and wished for the old Uncle Harry, wished that at he hadn't pushed him so far.

They sat like this for a while; the only sound to be heard was the rain, and Harry's tears. He decided that he could not let his uncle tell him of his life all by himself; it was not yet lunchtime, and he was already upset. The boy slowly moved over to his case to pull out a hand mirror, and hoped that his godfather had told Aunt Ginny how it worked. He wondered if he spoke his aunt's name, whether it would work.

"Ginny Potter. Are you there? Aunt Ginny."

He heard the faint sound of footsteps in the mirror, and was glad that this had worked.

"Teddy, are you all right? Why are you calling?" Teddy felt reassured that his aunt was there, even if not in person.

"I'm alright, Aunt. Do you know about the mirrors then?"

"Yes, Harry told me after you messaged him the other morning. He said he would use it to tell me if he would stay overnight. Where is he?" Teddy moved the mirror so that she would be able to see her husband on the bed.

"Oh, Harry. What's wrong?" She sounded extremely frightened. "What happened Teddy?"

"Well, he- he was telling me about his home life with the Dursleys, and he – stumbled over some words. I think he said something like 'I had to follow their rules. Otherwise -'and then he broke off. I asked him what 'otherwise' was, but he wouldn't tell me. But I asked him again, and, oh, Aunt Ginny, he just snapped. He-he started to shout at me, a-and he raised his hand, I-I thought he was going to hit me. Then he seemed to notice what he was doing, and he collapsed. Aunt Ginny, could you come up here now? Please? I don't know what else to do."

"Of course I will, Teddy. I'll be there in a tick. AL, JAMES, WE'RE GOING TO ROSE AND HUGO'S! Now, Teddy, just stay with your uncle. Don't let him do anything silly, and don't let him blame himself. It wasn't your fault, but it wasn't his either. He's had a pretty tough life, you godfather, but I'll help him explain, don't worry. HURRY UP, YOU TWO, AND FIND YOUR SISTER, PLEASE! See you soon, Ted."

"See you, Aunt Ginny."

The mirror faded, and Teddy went back to where his godfather was sitting. He sat next to him, waiting for his aunt to come.

**A/N To find out what happened to Harry a few years after Voldie returned, and why he can't say the name, read Remembering Guilt. But this is only a suggestion, you can leave it to your imaginations, if you so wish. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this is really short, I was stuck for ideas. And it ended quite nicely. I am going to resolve to mak it much more Harry-Teddy story, as that was my ooriginal intention, but I think there will be a better mixture of characters than I had planned. Oh, and I have got a beta! the amazing/hyper Scolander!**

Ginny potter rushed up the stairs towards Gryffindor tower, although she was exhausted she kept running. Seeing Harry like that brought back awful memories, and she knew she had to reach him as quickly as possible. Her children were safe at Hermione's, having only been told that their mother was needed somewhere, then she had apparated straight to Hogwarts. Finally she arrived at the Fat Lady, and realised she did not know the password.

"Excuse me, can I go in?" She asked, knowing that this was very unlikely.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't know it, but it's urgent! Please let me in," she pleaded with the portrait, but she wouldn't budge.

Fortunately for her, a familiar face came walking up the corridors, and Ginny ran to him.

"Neville! Can you tell me the Gryffindor password, please? I need to get in?"

"Why are you here? What's all the rush? It's 'Omnes fortes', but please tell me what's going on."

"It's Harry! I don't know exactly. Oh, omnes fortes, omnes fortes!" She ran across the common room, and up to the boys' dormitories. "Do you know which one is Teddy's?"

"Yeah, I do, this way." Neville had caught on to Ginny's urgency, and he too was hurrying. He remembered all too well the sight that had met them all those years ago, but he didn't think it could be anything like that, not in Hogwarts. He opened the door, and Ginny immediately ran over to her husband and Teddy.

Embracing Harry tightly, she started to talk to him, to calm him down. "Hush, Harry, it's ok. Don't worry. I'm here now." She rocked him gently in her arms. "Come on Harry, its ok. It's fine. You're not alone. Hush, hush. It's all fine, I'm here."

Neville, who was standing in the doorway, saw that they needed time alone, and so he stepped out of the room, softly closing the door behind him, and locking it.

Ginny looked over at Teddy, who seemed to be ok, even though he was till shocked at how his uncle had reacted. She knew that he, like her sons, thought of Harry as an amazing auror who was able to sort out any problems, and she did not want Teddy to misunderstand what was happening.

"Teddy," she started. "Why don't you ask me the questions you have, for now, while Harry recovers himself. I will probably know, and you need to understand."

"You won't know," Teddy said. "He said he hadn't told you."

"Told me what?"

"What 'the otherwise' is."

Ginny held Harry closer to her, but her voice did not betray her worries. "Well, let's just skip over 'the otherwise' for now, shall we? What else do you want to know?"

"Could you tell me about his first year at Hogwarts?" asked Teddy eagerly, "I'd like to know about something happy that happened to him in his life, and he said that he was never happier than at Hogwarts, although he looked a little sad while telling me this. But obviously nothing good happened while at the Dursley's."

"No, I think you're right there," said Ginny. "Ok, where shall I start?"

"Just with any old thing. How did Uncle Harry meet Ron and Hermione? Why were they best friends?"

"I think that Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron became friends on the Hogwarts Express, because they sat in the same carriage and were sorted into the same house. At first Aunt Hermione wasn't their friend, but on Halloween, one of the teachers let a troll in, and they rescued her from it. And it has been the three of them ever since."

"Why would a teacher let a troll into the school?"

"Because he worked with Voldemort, and wanted to make a distraction so he could steal something that was hidden in the school. Fortunately, another professor headed him off, and he was unable to get to it that time."

"Is that You-know-who's real name, Voldemort? Uncle Harry wouldn't tell me."

"Yes, it is."

"But...he was at Hogwarts. How did someone working for _Voldemort _get in there?"

"Voldemort was very evil, and no-one suspected he was back. His supporter had not previously been convicted of working with Voldemort, and was the Defence against the Dark Arts professor. He was not in the least suspicious."

"Umm, how was Voldemort defeated? Or how did he steal the thing? What was it he wanted to steal anyway?"

"He wanted to steal the Philosopher's stone, which had been made several hundred years previously by a great alchemist Nicholas Flamel. It would give him eternal life, and would help him regain his body. In the end Harry, Ron and Hermione went after him, although they thought it was someone else, and had to get through a great many enchantments put in place to keep out any unwanted thieves."

"They can't have been very good if a few 11 year olds could get through them," Teddy interrupted.

"On the contrary, they were just extraordinary 11 year olds," replied Ginny quickly. "But finally, because of one puzzle, Harry faced Voldemort alone." She gave a deep sigh. "He somehow managed to retrieve the stone; Dumbledore had made a really complicated enchantment which would have made sure that Voldemort could never get it. But Voldemort realised that Harry had it, and so almost killed him, again."

"Wait, Aunt Ginny, you just said that _Voldemort_ almost killed him. And that he faced Voldemort alone, now I come to think of it. How did Voldemort get into Hogwarts? I can just about understand the evil professor, but Voldemort?"

"I think that he had attached himself to Professor Quirrel, and so he was on the back of his head. But Dumbledore arrived in time to save Harry, and went after him."

"So, Uncle Harry was 11, and had just found somewhere where he could belong, and had friends, and then Voldemort comes and tries to mess it all up for him? Poor Uncle Harry."

"Yes, Ted, and sadly it gets worse."

Teddy looked at the clock on the wall. "Are you going to come down for lunch?" he asked. He hadn't realised that time had gone so quickly.

Ginny looked at Harry, who seemed to have gone to sleep in her arms, obviously quite put out by his earlier outburst.

"No, Ted, you go on ahead. We may come on after you, or we might stay here."

Ginny sat for a while, caressing the black, messy hair of Harry, and in time, he slowly came to. When he was completely aware of his surroundings he spoke.

"I've made a complete fool of myself, haven't I?" he said.

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><p><strong>Like it? Sorry, I am now sounding like every other author, but it really makes my day if I get a review.. even a mini one. And sorry if Harry doesn't sound very much like Harry, i just think that him being himself, he couldn't very easily let go of his emotions. But let me know what you think if you have any suggestions... Oh yeah, and its termtime, so I might not update til weekend after next. I'm sorry...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for not getting it up when promised, I didn't have any ideas for how to get this story back on track... But here it is now, and I will try as hard as I can to get third year up next weekend. But no promises, as I may break it, again :( Enjoy!**

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><p>"I've made a complete fool of myself, haven't I?" Harry said, sitting up, but avoiding eye contact with Ginny.<p>

"No, Harry. And, Harry, I don't blame you. I'm sure Teddy doesn't either. I think you'd better carry on telling him about Hogwarts, though." She smiled at him, and he leant his head on her shoulder.

"I guess you're right. What have you told him?"

"I've only told him about your first year. Try not to abbreviate things, especially your part in the story. That's what he wants to hear about. Now, would you like lunch?" She grinned at him, and Harry had to return the smile.

"Yeah, sure. Shall we go down to the Great hall? It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"It has indeed." They both headed down the moving staircases in the direction of the hall. The eleven years since Harry had last been there did not seem real, as if they were just two ordinary students. But this was just an illusion, shattered as soon as they stepped into the Hall.

"Merlin's beard! Look over there.."

"I don't believe it..."

"Do you really think it's..."

"Harry Potter? Here...?"

All eyes were turned on the two as they walked up towards the dais where there were two extra chairs; Neville had obviously told Professor McGonagall about Ginny's arrival. Harry realised that the last time he had been up there was a few days after the Battle, when he had told people how sorry he was about the devastation of the battle. But he didn't reflect on these views for long, he wouldn't get lost in that trail of thought - he knew he couldn't if Teddy was to hear the full story from him.

McGonagall stood up, and Harry hoped that she would not draw even more attention to him.

"Can I have your attention, please?" The hall fell silent, just as it had for Harry's old headmaster. "Thank you. I would just like to ask if you could leave Mr Potter alone while he is staying here, it I s only for this weekend, and it is his own, private business. Please feel free to go back to your own conversations. Thank you."

The noise rose as fast as it had gone, but at least people were no longer craning their necks to look at him. Harry quickly found Teddy on the Gryffindor table, and smiled at him; and was glad when Teddy smiled back as he did not want to think of what would have happened if Teddy wasn't as willing to forgive him.

Harry and Ginny ate their lunch quickly, exchanging stories with Neville who was on their right, who had the discretion not to ask or refer to Ginny's abrupt arrival in Hogwarts.

"...and there it was, right where I had left it, only it was all shrivelled up, and practically useless for the next couple of days!" Neville concluded the funny anecdote he had just told the pair about a particularly aggravating Screech snap plant.

"Alright. Well, it was nice to chat to you again, Nev, you rally must come over to ours one of these days, you know." Said Ginny, standing up as she finished off her dessert.

"Yeah, thanks. But we really need to go...Teddy will be waiting for us."

"I'll see you two sometime, okay? Bye for now."

The Great Hall was near empty now, but Teddy was still at his place, waiting for them with some friends.

"Uncle Harry, are you ok now?" Teddy asked him as soon as he was near enough to be heard. Harry recognised the two behind Teddy; he had seen them in Teddy's memory – Sophie and Max?

"Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, these are my friends, Soph and Max. Soph, Max, this is my Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny." He said this all very quickly, obviously eager for his information to be put across to them. Harry smiled at them both, and remembered his own first train journey, in which he made a best friend and school adversary. They all walked up to the tower, slowly.

"Um, you two, I have some unfinished business with my godfather. Is it all right if I go with them again? I mean..."

"Teddy," cut in Sophie, "They're here for you. We don't mind – and we're here if you want to talk to us. But right now I think you need to speak with your godfather, yeah?"

Teddy nodded. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks." And with that he took Harry and Ginny up to his dormitory.

"I'm glad you've made some good friends, Teddy. That girl – Sophie – she's quite smart, isn't she?"

"Yep. Now..."

"Ted, before you say anything, I'd like to say that I'm extremely sorry for...earlier. I was not angry at you, please understand, it's just some memories are... worse than others, and I could not tell you about the 'otherwise'. I'm sorry. I'm just not ready for that, I guess. But I've made my peace with most of it – Aunt Petunia wrote me a letter, and I understand."

"It's fine, Uncle Harry. Me and Aunt Ginny re not going to pressure you into telling us anything. But can you tell me about your second year. You'd just defeated Voldemort for the second time."

Harry flinched slightly, but didn't protest. "Alright. Well, I was staying at the Dursleys when a house-elf named Dobby appeared. He tried to warn me not to go back to Hogwarts as it was too dangerous, but I wouldn't promise him not to."

"You couldn't. You _had_ to go back. You were living with the _Dursleys_!"

"Exactly what I thought. But Dobby was adamant that 'Harry Potter should not go back to Hogwarts', and when I refused to say I wouldn't, he made a cake fly and land on Uncle Vernon's dinner guest. Uncle Vernon thought it had been me doing my 'freaky' stuff, of course, so I was shut in my room for a couple of days – no Ginny, don't say otherwise. But then Ron turned up in a flying car and rescued me"

"Rescued you? In a _flying car_? Cool."

"Yeah, I was definitely glad to see him," Harry laughed.

"Of course you were, they had-" Harry shook his head vigorously at Ginny, and she stopped, mid-sentence. He knew she was still furious at him for not telling her until years after the incident, but this was not the right time to tell Teddy every single wrongdoing of the Dursleys.

"They had locked me in my room; I was happy to see my best friend. So we escaped.

"I spent the rest of my summer at the Burrow, and thoroughly enjoyed it. And on the first of September, as per usual, we went down to Platform 9 3/4. Except Ron and I could not get through the barrier."

"What?"

"We had all been in a hurry, and everyone went before us. The barrier was magically sealed, until after the train had left."

"So...you couldn't get to Hogwarts. Wait – did someone stop you on purpose? It wasn't Dobby, was it?"

"You got it quicker than we did. Well, obviously our first thought was to get to Hogwarts, and being two twelve year old boys, we took the car, which we had driven down in. And yes, I do mean the flying car, although Mr Weasley had driven it the muggle way."

"You went to Hogwarts in a magically enchanted flying car. Without telling anyone. And you tell me not to do anything stupid!"

"Mmm, well, I'd prefer you not to get into those types of trouble. I know from first-hand experience that it's not good."

"Okay, so you're at Hogwarts. I presume you did get into some trouble, but not too much as McGonagall is your head of house, and Ron may have got a howler from Grandma Weasley?"

"Very good, Sherlock."

"Huh?"

"Muggle book. I'm surprised Hermione hasn't made you read one." Teddy decided to ignorw this deviation.

"What happened during this year? What was the danger Dobby was warning you about?"

"The chamber of secrets was opened again." Ginny shivered, and Harry put his arm around her. "And Ginny was involved, as V – Vol – You-know-who had tricked her. On Halloween, some writing was put on the walls – 'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware'. Hogwarts did not feel particularly safe that year, and four people were petrified – which means, to put things simply, they were made into living statues – five if you include Nearly-headless Nick, six if you include Mrs. Norris. It was pretty dismal for me and Ron because, after the Easter holidays, Hermione was attacked."

"Aunt Hermione was petrified? What was – how? I don't – um – how did your year end?"

"The monster – basilisk- was killed, a mandrake solution was made and all the people who had been petrified were cured. There were no exams and Gryffindor won the house cup."

"Harry, you know what I mean," said Teddy, exasperated that his godfather was always so _modest_.

"Harry? Since when...?"

"_Uncle _Harry, how did you come into this? How was the basilisk killed? How was the chamber opened?"

"Harry," said Ginny gently, "You told me you'd tell him. He deserves to know. And I'd prefer it, just tell Teddy." She leaned closer in to him, not looking forward to the second reminder that week, but ready for it.

"Ginny was taken into the chamber, Ted. We overheard the teachers talking about it, and sending the most useless to look for her. We had just discovered – thanks to Hermione – where it was, so we went and told him. He attempted to wipe our memories, but the spell backfired, and Ron and I were separated – by this time we were in the chamber. Sorry, I'm awful at telling things like this. I went on to find Ginny, and a memory of Tom Riddle, who was the sixteen year old version of You-Know-Who. He, um, I guess you would say-," he paused for a while, and took a deep breath, "- attempted to kill me. Again."

"And you escaped alive with Aunt Ginny." It wasn't a question. "And you killed the monster. How?"

"Dumbledore's phoenix and the sorting hat. I stuck the sword of Godric Gryffindor into its throat after Fawkes – the phoenix – had blinded it. And then I stabbed the diary with one of its fangs – "

"How did you get a fang?"

"You are inquisitive, aren't you? Not that I can blame you, I guess, being the son of a marauder and having me as a godfather and everything, but still. The basilisk bit me, ok? But I was alright, Phoenix tears are an antidote to basilisk venom. And when I stabbed the diary, Riddle disappeared and Ginny awoke, and so I dragged her out of the chamber and we found Ron and then we got out of the chamber and were okay. Ish. Ginny was obviously shaken up a bit, and so was Ron, and so was I, I guess. But only a bit."

"Let me get this straight. In your second year you killed a basilisk, rescued your future wife, saw your best friend petrified and that was not your worst year at Hogwarts. And you were 'only a bit' shaken up."

"That sounds right."

Teddy shook his head. "No wonder you don't like to talk about it," he said softly.

"No, it isn't really, is it," Harry replied sharply.

"But you shouldn't keep it bottled inside you like that, you know," Teddy added.

"You're right Ted. I'm just used to it being that way. But I'm telling you now, and I promise to tell as much of it as I can. Though third year's going to be pretty tough. First question?"

* * *

><p><strong>Not compleely sure if this counts as a cliffhanger, sorry if it is. I just wondered how realistic my Harry is, or if he isn't much like JK Rowling's? And reviews are always welcome...<strong>

**Oh, yeah, thanks to my wonderful beta, _Scolander! _She is actually amazing, and would be etremely happy if you checked out her stories, especially if you are a Dramione fan... well, anyway, I said that I'd write lots about how amazing she is etc. at the end of this chapter, just to embarass her. Scolander is also ace at art:) So don't bother reading this if you don't want to, it's just a random drabble. And thank you to anyone who has added this as favourite or anything, it always makes my day if I get any emails like that :)**

**But yeah... Better stop now, I'm rabbitting again :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I am stuck until I suddenly get struck by inspiration. And fanfiction was being stupid yesterday and I couldn't upload ): Thank you for sticking with this! (Or just reading this if that's the case) (-: Hopefully this is a bit more Teddy-Harry centric, though it doesn't start off like it I know.**

Neville sat in the headmistress's office wondering if he should tell her – or ask her – about Harry. He knew it wasn't really his business - he had never counted himself amongst Harry's _closest_ friends - but, after the incident in the Gryffindor dormitory, he felt that someone should know who wasn't Harry's family. Someone who he respected and looked up to. And so he found himself in Minerva McGonagall's office, still debating with himself over whether or not this was the right thing to do, when she walked in.

"Neville? What are you doing here? Nothing's wrong is it?"

"No, Professor, well, not with me. It's Harry," he knew in saying it he couldn't now back out of it. "He hasn't seemed himself today. I just wondered – "

"Whether I knew what the matter is? No, Neville, I cannot say I recall any recent situation he's been in. He may just be having a bad day, though he seemed cheerful enough this morning and at lunch."

"Would have to be having a _really_ bad day," Neville muttered.

"Why do you say that, Neville?" McGonagall asked. She was fairly concerned now as she knew that Neville would never normally invade Harry's privacy by coming to see her like this, and she had always considered herself quite close to Harry, teacher-wise. She was unfailingly compassionate really, underneath her stern exterior.

"Well, earlier on, Ginny came rushing up the staircase to the Gryffindor common room, greatly agitated and sure that something was wrong with Harry. How she knew beats me. I was completely confused as to what she was going on about, but I let her in and she went rushing up to Teddy's dormitory. On the bed in the middle we saw Harry curled up, leaving us bewildered, me all the more so as I had absolutely no idea that Harry was at Hogwarts. Actually, Professor, I didn't get to ask you. Why is he here?"

"I believe it was to do with his godson, Mr Lupin hearing some story about Harry. I didn't get the full details, but apparently Harry needed to tell him the facts?"

"Oh dear. That's not good."

"Mr Longbottom?" Professor McGonagall had no idea what her statement had revealed, but Neville had a look of acute understanding on his face.

"Professor McGonagall, I would think we should both be able to guess what that means. He's probably told Teddy very little about being, well, him, because he's Harry! Which isn't good for Teddy. But I think it also means they will have revisited the past that he has put behind himself, and reminded him of tings he hasn't thought of in years. Which _definitely_ isn't good for him. No wonder..." he trailed off, leaving the thought of the broken Harry he had seen earlier hanging in the air between them.

"When on earth did you get so perceptive?" asked McGonagall, sensing that Neville was indeed right. "I-I'm not sure if many people have told you this, but you are much like your father."

"Thank you, professor," Neville replied. "Thank you." He sat back for a few moments, letting these unexpected words wash over him, but quickly returned to the case on hand.

"So, professor, what should we do? About harry?"

"Neville, what do _you_ suggest we do?"

"I don't think I'd really thought that through. Um, we can't tell him we know, I don't think he even realises I saw him, and we can't give him our sympathy – he'd hate that. I guess all we can truly do is show him our support. And perhaps if you asked him to chat to you, over a cup of tea or something, he might be able to get something off his chest."

McGonagall nodded in agreement. "I think you're right. And I think that Ginny won't let the past overwhelm him again, if she can. Poor dear, he's had such a poor time for the majority of his life. I can't blame him for not wanting to relive it, even for Mr Lupin."

Neville sighed "He only really started living 10 years ago. Properly, I mean, without some psychopath after him or whatnot. But Teddy has to know, and I kind of think that it has to be Harry who tells him.

** oo **

"Alright, 3rd year...Hogsmeade trips! You'll have to tell be all about yours."

"Well, _technically_ I wasn't allowed to go."

"You didn't go to Hogsmeade? But everyone is allowed to go. _No-one's _parents don't sign – oh!"

"And you would know that how?" asked Harry laughing, but he foresaw the conversation going back to the Dursley's. He was right, Teddy brushed his comment aside.

"Older students. But the Dursleys didn't sign for you, did they? Did you even ask them? And couldn't Professor McGonagall or someone sign for you or something?

"Whoa, slow down Teddy. Ok, one, the Dursleys did not sign for me, two, I did ask them but I kind of...never mind, and three she refused, as did the minister of magic, on the grounds that there was apparently a deranged prisoner who was on the run after me."

"Now _you_ need to slow down, Uncle Harry."

"I was only answering your questions," retorted Harry.

"Alright, I won't ask so many. Could you tell me the 'never mind'?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Basically I blew up my aunt."

"_You blew up your aunt!_"

"Okay, that sounds bad. Well it was, but it wasn't on purpose! She was being rather annoying and aggravating towards me, and I lost control, so she swelled up and floated away. Uncle Vernon said that he'd only sign if I were good, and that definitely was not good behaviour." Teddy giggled. "Besides, after that I ran away to the Leaky Cauldron where I stayed for the remainder of my holidays."

"How in the name of Merlin did you manage to ask the minister if he would sign your Hogsmeade letter?

"The ministry was quite worried when I went missing as a supposed mass murderer had broken out of Azkaban to supposedly come after me. The minister 'found' me when I got to the Leaky Cauldron and told me that everything was all right with Aunt Marge, so I had the chance to ask him about my letter. And he refused." He added, a little bitterly.

"Uncle Harry. The escaped prisoner who wanted to m - murder you. Who was he?"

To Teddy's surprise, Harry laughed. But not as if the statement was funny.

"His name was Sirius Black, Ted, my godfather; and he had been the secret keeper for my parents. But he wasn't the one who betrayed them; they had swapped with another 'friend'," he spat the word, "secretly. So everyone who knew about the fidelius thought it had been him. So, because he was innocent, I didn't actually have anything to fear that year, not really, apart from a few dementors."

"Dementors?"

"You are beginning to sound like a parrot, Teddy. Yes, dementors. But luckily your dad was teaching defence that year; I think I've told you the story of the boggart."

"Yeah, a while ago. But carry on, Uncle Harry, you don't have to tell me it again."

"No, I won't. But he was undoubtedly the best teacher we'd ever had, perhaps even the best teacher. And he would carry on being so throughout our school life, we never forgot him. He could also conjure a patronus – a charm that drives away dementors if done properly – and many wizards cannot do it. It saved my life – my soul, anyway."

Ginny shivered again, though looked at Harry curiously. She had never heard this story before; it had never really come up. "Teddy, do you even know what a dementor is, or does?"

"Not really, no. They used to guard Azkaban before the war, didn't they, which was why I was surprised at hearing them. And I don't know much else about them, sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry, Ted, I forgot you wouldn't know. I'm rather glad that you don't actually, they're rather horrible, dark creatures. They make you relive your worst memories, and suck the happiness out of your life. They can also kiss you, which means that they remove your soul."

"And a dementor almost kissed you," said Teddy soberly. "But dad saved you with his patronus?"

"Not quite, Teddy, good guess, but it's a lot more confusing than that. When I was passing out, I thought I saw my dad casting a patronus as a stag."

"Prongs! Wait, what?"

"I naturally didn't know about the marauders, but that's exactly right. The stag was Prongs, in a way. But of course, it wasn't my dad, it was a future version of me who had gone back in time to save myself...I'll explain it from the start later. I can tell you have another question."

"Several, in fact, but I will only ask one at a time. _Why_ did you learn to cast a patronus, and how?"

Harry looked slightly sheepish as he mumbled "Quidditch."Teddy laughed, but Ginny was giving him the famous Weasley death stare.

"Properly dear, or I'll tell him. I told you to say everything."

"Ginny, it's one insignificant detail."

"Uncle Harry, it's the insignificant details that I want to hear. Aunt Ginny, can you tell me anyway?"

"Because of Sirius Black, dementors were guarding the school as well as Azkaban. Harry was playing Quidditch when the dementors came out onto the pitch, and caused him to pass out and fall off his broom about 50 feet. We all thought he was dead. The dementors affected Harry extremely badly as he had really awful memories. Think back to what's happened in his life as far as you know.."

Teddy growled. "First and Second year? Tom Riddle. Is that what they made you think of, Uncle Harry?"

Harry shut his eyes and shook his head. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise – she hadn't really thought about it and had always assumed that was what it had been.

Harry spoke again. "No Ted, Gin, it was –" his voice cracked. "I always heard my – my parents just before they – he killed them." Harry didn't let his tears overcome him this time, but nonetheless, Ginny pulled him into a tight hug, and Teddy joined in- crying although he had been trying not to- because he didn't like to think of his Uncle Harry hurt in any way.

"But, my dad helped you, right? He taught you how to conjure a patronus, didn't he."

"Yeah, he was great, your dad. He found a boggart on which I could practice, but I couldn't do it until I had to. I think I'll tell you the longer, more complicated story now."

"Ok."

Harry thought back to that day all those years ago and wondered where he should start.

"Alright, so, one day fairly near the end of the school year, Hermione, Ron and I went down to Hagrid's where his hippogriff, Buckbeak, was about to be executed..."

**Please tell me if you think I should go on again. Thanks once again to my wonderful beta Scolander, who is ever patient. I have started chapter 6, so it should be up sometime soon, but tell me if you want Harry to tell you everything you already know. I've tried to condense it...I'll stop rabbiting now (:**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm sorry it's horrendously late, blame school and homework and assignments... Ok, and I didn't type it up ever so soon. Also it may be losing its pace slightly, and... I don't know, this is definitely more of a dialogue chapter than anything, but I've tried my best. Enjoy? :)**

"...went down to Hagrid's where his hippogriff was about to be executed..."

"Why?"

"It had injured a boy who hadn't been paying attention in class. It was his own fault, but they decided that Buckbeak had to be killed. We left when the people from the ministry came... we thought we heard the axe swing."

"Wha-"

"Don't ask questions unless you have to. Hear me out and they'll probably be answered.

"We headed back to Hogwarts when a big black dog dragged Ron into the Whomping Willow. Hermione and I eventually managed to get in after waging war on the tree. But we found ourselves in the Shrieking Shack; it had been a secret passageway and Sirius Black was there."

"You weren't in any danger though, were you. He didn't want to kill you."

"No, he didn't, but I wasn't aware of this. Nor were Ron or Hermione. He had taken our wands, and we had no idea how we would survive this situation."

"Then your father found us – he had the Map. And Hermione told us that he was a werewolf. He gave us back our wands though and told Sirius to tell us what really happened.

"Sirius explained to us what I told you a few minutes ago, and then he asked to look at Ron's pet rat, whom he was holding. They put a spell on it and forced him to transform. He was the fourth marauder who had betrayed them. " sighed Harry, resigned, " It went on for a bit, but your dad and Ron tied themselves to the rat, so he could not run away, and we made our way out of the shack. But it was a full moon."

"So dad transformed."

"Yes, and the rat ran away, Sirius got caught and we nearly all got kissed by dementors. We woke up and found ourselves in the hospital wing.

"And then Dumbledore came in, told us he believed us, and then said we could save more than one life and that Hermione knew what to do."

"But then, she always does," Teddy interjected before he could stop himself. Harry and Ginny looked at each other, and smiled.

"Too true. And it turned out that she had been using a time turner all year to get to lessons, and we had to go back in time. We managed to save Buckbeak; the executioner took out his annoyance on a pumpkin. Then we got Sirius out in time and he flew away on Buckbeak."

"That's crazy," said Teddy, and Harry stared at him. "No, not Sirius flying away on Buckbeak, but just, I don't know, you did so much _stuff_ in your time at school, and its...I guess I'm saying it's not really fair. And all this time travel stuff is mad!"

"It is rather, isn't it?" chuckled Harry. He glanced at the clock. "We've made rather good progress; let's go on to Year 4."

"Should I ask you questions again?" asked Teddy.

"What? Oh, yeah," said Harry.

"Alright, um, I don't suppose you ever had a quiet year at Hogwarts, did you?"

"Well, we almost managed in 6th yea... no, Ted, we didn't. And I'm afraid my fourth is probably one of the toughest."

"How could it get any worse?" groaned Ted softly.

"How about Voldemort returning? Or someone dying in front of my eyes? I can think of many ways, Ted," replied Harry sadly.

"You didn't actually – I mean – you weren't -" Teddy stumbled, his eyes watery.

"I'm sorry Ted. I did see a lot of things I wish I hadn't that year, there are things I still regret."

"So what happened?"

"The Triwizard Tournament."

"But I've read about that in _Hogwarts: A History_. It was banned _centuries_ ago because of all the high death rates."

"Yes, but I don't think that _Hogwarts: A History_ covers anything past the 19th century, does it? My year was the year it was going to be _safe_, the year only those who were of age could take part." He laughed darkly.

"But that was good, wasn't it? You weren't of age in Fourth Year; you couldn't have been in it. Surely you wouldn't even have wanted to."

"He didn't, but –" Ginny started.

"I didn't, but that didn't stop someone confounding the cup and putting my name in. And it didn't stop me having to compete even though I was three or four years younger than anyone else."

"But they made the tasks safe, right?"

"If you call stealing a dragon's egg and rescuing your friends from the bottom of a lake inhabited with angry merpeople and fighting off Hagrid's creatures in a maze singlehandedly then yes, it was."

But Teddy wasn't really listening. He was staring at his godfather in awe, wondering how n Earth he had not noticed that Harry was so – cool. But then, school tales weren't exactly told around the dinner table in the Weasley-Potter households.

"You did all that in your fourth year. You must have been _amazing_ at Defence."

"Not really," Harry replied, "it was mainly just luck. And I had help from Hermione and Ron and..."

Ginny decided she would interrupt. "But you did face these things yourself; it wasn't just luck, you _are_ excellent at Defence," To Teddy she said, "Take everything he says with a lump of sugar, he's too modest for his own good." Then she nodded at Harry to continue.

"Yeah, but it was mostly luck." He sighed as Teddy smirked at Ginny, obviously trusting her words. "What else do you want to know about fourth year?"

"Well, you obviously did the tasks of course. How did you get round a dragon, or merpeople? Actually, could Aunt Ginny tell me this bit?"

"Of course," groaned Harry. He knew that Ginny was going to give him a lot more praise than was due, in his opinion.

"Harry was the last of four contestants to go, and he was facing the fiercest of dragons – the Hungarian Horntail. When he stepped out, he summoned his broom, and started to fly around the dragon, making it chase after him. Eventually after some world class flying-"

"Shut up, Ginny. You're sounding like Lee."

She grinned back at him. "No, I'm sounding like Mr Bagman, and Viktor Krum, who kind of know what they're talking about. And anybody you knew from school would have said you could have flown for England; you were better than Charlie! Anyway, Ted, he flew amazingly, and got the egg in the quickest time the most effectively. It was definitely the best performance there had been."

"Whatever, Ginny."

"You know it's true. You wouldn't have drawn first with Krum either; if Karkaroff hadn't been so biased, you'd have won outright. And you _were_ the youngest contestant."

"Okay, okay. I think I'll tell the next one. Right, so I was given gillyweed, a plant that lets you breathe underwater, by Dobby, a house-elf, who was my friend. I got to the lake just in time, found the hostages first and untied Ron, but Hermione and two other girls were down there, one who I didn't know, one who I liked a lot. I, being an idiot thought that if their rescuers didn't come in time, they'd die, so therefore I started to free all of them. In the end it was the French girl who wasn't 'rescued', so I was stupid enough to take both her and Ron."

"That's not stupid, that's kind."

"Yeah, that's what Fleur thought. But I kind of ought to have realised that I didn't _have_ to rescue her."

"Fleur? As in Tante Fleur?"

"Yeah, the French girl, Gabrielle, was her sister."

"Is that why she likes you so much then?"

"Pretty much, she is still under the impression that I saved Gabrielle. I haven't thought it prudent to correct her."

"Well there you are, then," said Teddy, in a very manner-of-fact tone.

"There I am what?" asked Harry.

"You weren't the only one who was 'stupid enough' to think that the hostages would die if left here."

Harry, who hadn't thought of this before, paused a moment. "I think... You're right," he finally admitted.

"Of course I am, Uncle Harry. And the third task?"

"This was the worst. Someone got killed by You-know-who, and then he rose again. And I saw it all happen, and I wish and wish..." He trailed off, a faraway look in his eyes which Ginny recognised. She knew he still felt guilty about Cedric's death, even though it was in no way his fault, and she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Harry, dear." She stared into his eyes, the blue ones meeting the green as they did so often. "We talked about this on Monday. It wasn't your fault."

"But I could have prevented it!"

"Harry, you were a fourteen year old against Lord Voldemort!" He flinched. "You couldn't have known, and you couldn't have stopped it." She turned to Teddy. "There was a cup in the middle of the maze, the first one to touch it won. Harry and Cedric – the boy who – died – reached it at the same time, so they took it together as a joint win. But it had been turned into a portkey, like the one we took to the world quidditch match, and transported to where Voldemort was. As your godfather said, Cedric was killed, and Voldemort restored to life. Harry was – almost killed – too, but managed to escape –"

"-due to luck!"

"-of course, Harry. He came back with Cedric's body, and was declared the triwizard champion privately, because of the circumstances,"

"And then I was sent back home for _weeks_ while Fudge was convincing everybody that I was a loony, lying attention seeker and that Dumbledore was going senile."

Teddy looked confused. "Fudge? The old minister? But you _saw _Voldemort come back, why didn't' they believe you?"

"They didn't want to. Believing that V- _He_ was back would disrupt the nice, cosy bubble they lived in, and of course keeping people happy was much more important than keeping them safe."

"That's ridiculous. Though your fifth year was better than the fourth, I guess, even with all that." Teddy looked at them both. "Wasn't it?" he asked in desperation, knowing the answer from their expressions.

"It really wasn't Ted, I'm sorry."

"Teddy, is it not time for a break now?" asked Ginny, who could see two Gryffindors hanging around for their friend, uncomfortable about overhearing the conversation.

"Okay, but could you sum it up for me?" asked Teddy. "I'm struggling to see how it could get any worse."

"Um, let me think," started Harry in an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone, but Ginny interrupted.

"Voldemort was back, almost everyone avoided Harry because of the rumours, we have an interfering DADA teacher from the ministry, Dumbledore had to leave, we fought Death eaters at the ministry, and Voldemort nearly kills Harry _again_. And," she added in an undertone, "Sirius died in the fight. Harry still blames himself for that." Harry's eyes filled with tears, and he mumbled "It _was _my fault."

"No it wasn't," Ginny murmured in reply, and pushed Teddy towards the door. Go on, Ted, we'll be here in half an hour, yeah?"

"Ok," he said, and added, "Can I talk with Soph and Max. About this."

"You may, if you need to. Just make sure they realise it isn't to be repeated, and not about the really private stuff. But I trust you to know the boundaries, Ted; you know what's repeatable and what isn't." Ginny replied.

"Ok," said Teddy again, and walked out of the room and down the stairs, his friends hurriedly following him.

**Apologies again for the lateness – but Chapter 7 is in progress, and coming soon – it's also half term next week so I may be able to find more time among the tons of revising. But don't worry, I am not abandoning this fic (not that you were worrying anyway.) And just though I'd say that my **_**amazing**_** beta is now (almost) a published co-author. Well done Scolander!**


	7. Chapter 7 part A

**Alright, I'm sorry, this is a very short chapter. It honestly wasn't meant to be, hence the part A. I will try to get part B up shortly, but I have exams coming up so it could be another few weeks. Sorry! I will probably just add to this chapter, and get rid of the A, because I hate short chapters.**

* * *

><p>"Are you ok?" asked the girl beside him.<p>

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied the boy, to his horror finding tears on his face. _He_ wasn't supposed to be crying, he didn't have an awful life, or anything.

"Teddy, look at me" said Sophie, stopping and grabbing Teddy's arm. "You're not fine. I don't know what you've heard, but we're cool about you being upset. Most people know that being Harry Potter cannot have been easy, despite all the mucking around we do when we were younger; and for you finding out like that," she snapped her fingers, "can't have been much fun either."

"Yeah, we're your mates, Ted. Mates stick together no matter what," Max added.

"Thanks," sad Teddy feeling slightly better. He was pretty sure he could trust them, even though he had only known them since coming to Hogwarts. "Come on, I'd like to go somewhere private, Uncle Harry told me about this place..."

"Sure," agreed the other two. Teddy led them to where he thought the right place - he hadn't quite learnt Hogwarts yet.

"I need somewhere I can be alone," he thought, but nothing happened. He tried again.

"I need somewhere I can be alone." Zilch. Third time lucky?

"_I need somewhere I can be alone_." Maybe he had got the wrong place? Then a door opened and they all trooped inside, gazing around in awe.

"What is this place?" asked Sophie in a hushed voice. "I haven't read about it anywhere."

"Uncle Harry calls it the room of requirement. It is unplottable; it can't be placed on any map, and few know about it. Uncle Harry said even Dumbledore didn't, not really."

"So, what do you want to talk about? Asked Soph. "Or do you not. Whatever."

"I-I'd like to talk. To you both. Aunt Ginny said I'm allowed to tell you _some_ stuff, and I guess you already know things. Actually, what do you already know?"

"Not much, really. My parents told me he was always getting into trouble, even in, like, our year. Apparently there were some rumours about him duelling Voldemort in first year, being the heir of Slytherin in Second, and facing Voldemort again in Fourth, Fifth and, of course, Seventh when he killed him."

"Honestly, Max, not much? I've heard pretty much the same, although, of course, there are _always _elaborations. I mean, Voldemort wasn't even back until '95, was he? Your uncle – godfather – well, he _couldn't _have faced Voldemort in first Year."

"Bt he did," sad Teddy, scowling.

"But-how?" asked Sophie. "I don't understand."

"Nor do I," replied Teddy. "I think Voldemort was, like, a sprit or something, and he possessed a teacher But Uncle Harry definitely had to fight something. Although I think, in his first year anyway, it wasn't a duel, just luck, however much Aunt Ginny might argue."

"In his fist year...he was only 12 and he faced Voldemort?" said Sophie, and Teddy realised she understood how he felt, if only a bit.

"11," he corrected, automatically His voice cracked slightly, he didn't want to think about it. Or at least, his godfather's age.

"Is there any more – anything else, Ted?" asked Max, hesitantly.

"Oh, no, nothing much. Just the off chance encounter with Voldemort, almost being killed _every single year_, people dying, the Dursleys, the unquestionable 'otherwise'...!" he stopped his rant and paused at the memory of this morning's incident.

"What's the 'unquestionable otherwise'?" asked Max.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me!"

"And it's probably quite personal Max. Honestly, you boys."

"What! I was only asking, Ted didn't have to answer. And he doesn't now so does it make any difference? What are the Dursleys?"

"Boys..." sighed Sophie again, stopping halfway through a smile when she saw Teddy tense.

"Can't say. Sorry. Private," Teddy said haltingly.

"Oh, Ted," said Sophie, putting her arms round him. She too felt as if she had known the boys for years. That was the strange thing about Hogwarts, the people you met on your first day tended to be friends for life.

"He just seemed to have it so tough! He's got on with life despite all the stuff that's happened to him – really horrible things which no-one should have to go through! And even I didn't know about half of it, and he's the closest person I have to a dad! I just don't know how he coped – I just can't imagine it! I mean, I've always known him to be going off and doing one thing or another in dangerous situations, but that's his _job_, which by his account is what he was basically doing at the age of eleven! And I thought Hogwarts was supposed to be safe!" Teddy was nearly shouting with desperation now, everything was just flooding out of him, he couldn't stop it.

"I think it is, on the whole. But..." Max trailed off, leaving them all thinking the same thing.

"Your godfather was – is – an extraordinary man, Teddy. It wouldn't have happened to anyone but him, that's just how it worked. But seriously, he's worked through it. He's tough, because life has made him tough, but he's managed. And you can go back, and talk it all through with him."

A lonely tear drizzled down Teddy's cheek, mirroring the rain spattering on the window the Room of Requirement had seemed to acquire.

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><p><strong>I really don't like parts of this chapter, and I'm sorry if its written atrociously. The next chapter contains more Neville, and I may amend this one slightly. And I like reviews (hint, hint) - constuctive criticism is always welcome.. :D<strong>

**And thanks yet again to my wonderful Beta, Scolander! *insert applause***


	8. Chapter 7 part B

**I'm sorry. I know that's all I ever seem to say, but I am, truly, sorry. I forgot to write for ages, then, when I had, my beta went on holiday...( Not your fault Scolander!)**

**So, here is the next instalment of Discovery – and it's longer than the last one! For this reason I haven't uploaded it as the second half of the last Chapter, but merely entitled it as Part B. Enjoy!**

"So," said Ginny, after a short pause.

"So...?" asked Harry, looking at his wife.

"You're ok, so far, and you feel up to spending the best part of another hour telling Teddy about your fifth and sixth years?"

"Yeah, I think so. It's actually a lot easier than I thought it would be although, obviously some things are hard, no matter how many times you go through them."

"I know. But we'll do this together."

"Always." They smiled at each other, and shuffled closer together on the bed, leaning in.

"Oh, um, hi you guys. Bad time?" Neville asked, peering into the room.

"Nah, not at all, come in," said Harry.

"You know, if I had been Professor McGonagall, you'd probably both be in detention by now," grinned Neville, taking a seat on the adjacent bed.

"No, we wouldn't," laughed Harry, "I'm her favourite pupil – well, if I were a pupil. Anyway, why did you come up here?"

"I could ask the same to you! I was just wondering if I could get you anything. Tea? Coffee? Butterbeer?"

"No thanks, I'm fine for now. Thanks for asking though, Nev. You want anything, Ginny?" But Ginny was staring intently at Neville, an odd look on her face. "Uh, Ginny?"

"No you weren't," she said, apparently not having heard the question.

"No I wasn't what?" asked Harry, confused.

"Not you, silly, Neville," she replied pointedly. "You weren't really wondering if we wanted anything, not that it isn't a nice sentiment. Honestly, Neville, you don't have to pretend, we're you're friends. Just ask him."

Neville and Harry looked at each other, both utterly bemused.

"How does she-?" Neville began.

"How do I know? It's fairly obvious Nev. It's probably also a touch of woman's intuition, and hanging around Hermione too much."

"Yeah, well, I didn't actually come to ask anything. But I was just wondering if you were okay now, Harry. I mean you seemed alright, but I just wanted to check; there were too many people around at lunch."

Harry frowned at Neville and asked, "Why wouldn't I be alright? I'm fine, at the moment."

Neville took a breath. "Well, earlier, I had to let Ginny into the Gryffindor tower, as she didn't have the password, and..."

"You saw earlier?" asked Harry, going pale.

Neville nodded mutely. Ginny put a hand on Harry's shoulder, and Harry turned on her.

"Why didn't you tell me that Nev – saw me- like that? How many others – saw me – that I don't know about? Come on?"

"No, Harry, it wasn't like that," said Ginny, calmly. "You heard what Neville said, he was only showing me which one was Teddy's dormitory. And you know it never came up."

"Well, it would have been nice to have been told," muttered Harry, venomously.

"Harry..."

Harry ignored her and faced Neville again.

"You haven't told anyone else about it, have you, Neville." Neville looked scared.

"I'm really sorry, Harry, but...I was really worried about you and thought someone should know, so-"

"Who on earth did you tell? Tell me Nev," said Harry, dangerously.

"McGonagall," said Neville, reluctantly. Harry lay back on the bed, sighing. Professor McGonagall wasn't the worst person ever to know, but he knew he would now be constantly refusing – or even accepting – invitations to have butterbeer and a 'chat' with her.

"Sorry," said Neville in the same, quiet voice.

"S'alright, I guess," replied Harry. "What's done is done."

"WHAT?" exclaimed both Ginny and Neville.

"What's what?" asked Harry.

"Well – I thought – don't be angry – but –"

"We're kind of surprised that you're not more, well, angry."

Harry grinned sheepishly. "I do tend to go a bit overboard sometimes don't I?"

"Just a bit," said Ginny, and then Neville started to talk Harry through many examples. Their conversation moved onto Hogwarts, and Ginny and Harry inquired how much it had changed since their day.

"It would be weird to come back here, after so many years, don't you think, Harry," Ginny asked.

"McGonagall keeps asking me to take Defence classes every so often, and I'm starting to wonder if I should take the role as professor. But it would be quite strange," said Harry, as a way of replying.

"She has? And you haven't told me?" Ginny said, surprised.

"Well – I knew you'd tell Ron and Hermione, and then you'd all try to make me accept the post."

"Of course we would." This was Neville. "You would be great, or have you forgotten the DA?"

"How could I forget?" replied Harry with a chuckle. "As I said, I'm thinking about it, with a balanced mind. You lot would just be straight for it!"

"Going back to our original point, what are you actually doing here?" asked Neville. "I mean..."

"I'm telling Teddy about what happened to me during the course of my life, particularly at Hogwarts."

"I see. And..."

"It's going fine," said Harry. "No, seriously," he added, as Neville snorted disbelievingly. "Ok, I don't necessarily enjoy going over my past, especially when Ginny paints me as some sort of hero-" Neville bit the inside of his lip to stop himself from laughing, "- but Teddy's a good kid, and on the whole hasn't made today any harder than it has to be."

"Apart from earlier," Neville murmured to himself, but Harry overheard.

"Can we please stop going on about 'earlier'. It happened, it's been dealt with, and I'd like that to be the end of it," he said.

"You weren't meant to hear that," replied Neville, "but yeah, okay. Just remember that we're here; Ron, Hermione, -everyone in fact, if you want to talk to us."

"Yes I know, and I do appreciate that. But, no offense, I'd prefer not to talk about it; I'd quite like to get through today in one piece, right now. Where do you think Teddy went to?"

He got up and made for the door. "Coming?" he asked.

"No, you go," said Ginny. "You know him best, and you'll probably be able to find him best, too."

"Fine, "said Harry, and walked down to the Gryffindor common room. They weren't there, but then, he didn't expect them to be. He looked out of the window, wondering where they could be. Remembering about the Marauder's map, he sprinted back up to Teddy's dormitory.

**I just want to thank everyone who has read this, especially if you've alerted or favourite it, or even reviewed! As always, I promise to **_**try**_** to update soon, but may not for a couple of weeks as I will be on holiday.**

**If I don't update before then, Happy Easter, everybody!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hello, again! Sorry, it's been a while, but Chapter 8 is finally here.**

**I don't want to keep you long, so I'll finish this author's note with a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you.**

"Teddy!"

"Uncle Harry?"

"I was just about to come looking for you. You ok?"

"Yeah. Okay. Talking over this helped."

Teddy sat down to Neville, who promptly got up.

"I'll go now, Harry. It's not my place here, and I've got things to do. But I'll always be around if you, you know, want to talk. Um, see you around." The herbology professor quickly exited.

Harry put the Marauder's Map on the bed beside him.

"Ready to carry on to my 5th year?"

"No – yeah. Yes, I am. But before we go into all the, er, depressing stuff that seemed to happen that year could you _please_ tell me about any good times – normal times – that you had at Hogwarts. Just so I know that you weren't in mortal danger _all_ the time."

"Well, I don't think you could exactly say I had a _normal_ time; being the boy-who-lived, chosen one, delusional attention seeker etcetera doesn't help that, but..."

"You never had any normal times?" Teddy looked aghast. "I know you said no to normal years, but never!"

"Yeah, but I'm not saying I didn't have fun sometimes – I did – but not necessarily under normal circumstances. I played quidditch often. But you wouldn't say a lot of the good times were normal, I don't think."

"Why don't you tell him about the DA?" interrupted Ginny.

"I will. Right, Ted, remember Ginny said about the interfering defence teacher briefly."

"Yeah."

"Well, she didn't actually teach us any magic that year, as the ministry thought that Dumbledore was training up some sort of army. All we did in lessons was read a book studying defensive theory."

"And this is meant to be good?" asked Teddy. "It sounds totally rubbish to me. And didn't you have a practical test in your OWLs – 5thyear is OWL year, right?"

"Completely right. But I'm just coming to the god bit. Hermione came up with the idea that we should teach defence to ourselves. Or rather, that I should teach defence. So, a group of us formed which we called Dumbledore's Army."

"Nice," remarked Teddy.

"My suggestion," said Ginny at the same time that Harry said, "Ginny's call."

"Anyway, we started the DA in the Room of Requirement, and learnt all sorts of stuff which we wouldn't have had the chance to otherwise."

"That sounds cool. But you're right, it's not exactly normal, is it?"

"I guess, Ted, that it depends what you classify as normal. It was certainly one of the less odd things in _my_ school career."

"I guess it was. Only you, Uncle Harry, only you."

Harry grinned. It was true, only he, or perhaps his closest friends too, could say that one of the less unusual things they had done at school was lead a secret rebellion against an interfering toad.

"Ok, the rest of your 5th year then."

"Right, I think we need to start in the summer holidays. When I was in Little Whinging, Dudley and I were attacked by a couple of dementors."

"What?"

"Could you please refrain from repeatedly using the word 'what', Teddy? I'm sorry, but it's a bit annoying."

"Sorry, Uncle Harry."

"It's ok. And yes, a couple of dementors in Little Whinging, which forced me to use the patronus charm, which in turn meant that I was summoned to a disciplinary hearing at the ministry, and was almost expelled from Hogwarts."

"But you were using it in self defence. I'm sure that's allowed."

"Yes, but they didn't believe – or didn't want to believe, anyway – that there actually was a dementor. They _were_ building me up to be a liar at this point."

"But why else would you produce a patronus if it weren't to repel a dementor?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you, Ted."

"So, before school even started, you're in trouble."

"That sums it up pretty well. To be honest, we can pretty much skip 5th year, nothing much happened, apart from the DA. I was banned from quidditch..."

"Why?"

"Why is hardly better than what, Teddy. I basically beat up a boy who enjoyed teasing me as he had just insulted my mum. He was a sore loser, the Slytherin seeker whom I had just beaten. Obviously Umbridge – the DADA teacher – banned me from playing quidditch."

"And there was your hand too."

"Ginny, please. Every little thing..."

"She banned your hand from playing quidditch? Can one of you please explain?"

"Umbridge kept putting me in detention –"

"Which does _not_ mean that it will be okay to start getting detentions, young man, before you say anything!"

"Okay, okay. I'll try not to get detention."

"Good. Because neither your grandma, nor I, nor Harry will let you off if you get too many..."

"Oh, leave me out of this, Ginny. I got plenty more which weren't from Umbridge."

"Harry!"

"Can't we just get on with this please?"

"Yes, yes, fine. But Ted..."

"Yes, Aunt Ginny..."

"Ginny!"

"Harry?"

"Anyway, when we've all stopped. I kept getting detentions with Umbridge who made me write lines. '_I must not tell lies'_." He flexed his hand and held it out to Teddy, who gasped. Even after all the years, the small, white scars still showed.

"She made you cut it into your own skin?"

"Not exactly. There was a quill bewitched to mimic the movement of the pen on the back of my hand. So I wrote on paper, it was magic that cut my hand."

"That's...That's not even legal, is it?"

"No. But I didn't know that though. Moving on, throughout the year I kept getting visions from You-know-Who. They sometimes showed me what he was doing through his eyes, sometimes just his feelings."

"That's quite strange. Why did it happen?"

"Ummm..." He paused, not quite sure what to say. "Dumbledore told me that it was because of my scar; because You-know-Who had tried to kill me, and I survived, some sort of connection existed between us." It wasn't exactly a lie. That was what Dumbledore had told him. Teddy didn't need to know – not this instant, anyway – about the small fact of being a horcrux.

"I had to learn occlumency with a teacher called Snape. He and I – well, we didn't get on very well."

"What's occlumency, Uncle Harry?" Teddy asked.

"It's kind of, well, I'm guessing you haven't heard of legilimency either."

"No."

"Legilimency is the 'art' of attacking another's' mind. A skilled legilimens can pick out different memories or thoughts you have. You-know-who was a legilimens, and it seemed this was the reason why he could penetrate my mind, along with the connection formed with the scar. Occlumency would have helped me block out any nightmares he sent me, but I wasn't very good at it, and so didn't try very hard to practise it. I was stupid, oh, so _stupid_!"

Ginny decided to carry on the story here. "In his history of magic exam, his last OWL, Voldemort sent him an image of Sirius being tortured. Having checked Sirius' house, and having been told by the house-elf that Sirius would never come back from the department of mysteries..."

"Uncle Harry went to the department of mysteries with Ron and Hermione, and perhaps some other members of the DA?"

"Yes. Luna, Neville and I went with him. How did you guess?"

"It's elementary."

"Wait. Earlier you didn't know Sherlock."

"Huh?"

"You basically just quoted Sherlock Holmes... Nevermind."

"Okaaay. But it is just what Uncle Harry does. And Ron and Hermione would come, even if Harry didn't want them to. And the DA was just a guess."

"Right."

"And so, I guess you guys didn't manage to rescue Sirius? I don't want to be right, but..." trailed of Teddy, in a much more sombre tone. Harry shook his head.

"No, that wasn't the reason why Siri – why Sirius died," he said, to Teddy's astonishment.

"But – I don't get it."

"Nor did I. Sirius wasn't there," he continued bitterly. "He had never been. I _dreamed_ it. But Death Eaters were."

"They wanted Harry to retrieve a prophecy for them. It turned into a fight, and then the Order turned up."

"The Order?"

"Oh, have we not told you?"

"Nope."

"The Order of the Phoenix was a secret group set up by Dumbledore during the First Wizarding War, in order to fight Voldemort."

"It turned up just in time, and won the Battle of the Department of mysteries. But Sirius was killed during it by a Death Eater. Then You-know-who turned up and duelled with Dumbledore, but disapparated when the ministry came to see what all the commotion was about."

"So did the ministry believe you?"

"Yes. The only good thing that came out of this was that Fudge saw You-know-who, and kind of had to admit that he was back."

"And Dumbledore told you some things."

"I wouldn't exactly call that _good_, Ginny."

"What did Dumbledore tell you?"

"He told me the reason my parents died."

"You already knew that. Because Voldemort killed them," said Teddy simply.

"Well, yes. But he killed them because of a prophecy, made before I was born. You-know-who heard this part of the prophecy.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."_

"So, you?"

"Not necessarily. It could have been Nev – Professor Longbottom."

"Neville!"

"Yes, Neville. But don't tell him. I haven't, and I'm not planning to either."

"Okay."

"There was a second part to it that You-know-who never heard. I, however, have.

_'And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not, and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survive.'_"

"Does that mean what I thought it meant?"

"I'm afraid it does." Harry stared out of the window, and Teddy followed his gaze.

"So you really _did_ have to kill him."

"I always had to. Professor Dumbledore explained this to me in 6th year. Vol – You-know-who – would continue to hunt me down and try to kill me, because he believed in the prophecy. So I would have to in self-defence. But even if I hadn't heard the prophecy, because of the complete mess he's made of my life – because of mum, dad, Cedric, Sirius especially – I would, as I told Professor Dumbledore, I would want him finished, and I'd want to do it myself."

"Obviously."

"What did you just say?"

"Obviously. I don't think I need expand. What else happened in 6th? You _almost _had a quiet year, why was it so quiet? And had you two started to go out together yet? Or was there anyone else?"

Harry decided to start. "Yes, Ginny and I went out for a couple of months or so, but not before she-"

"Hold it right there, Harry Potter, or I'll tell Teddy about the Cho fiasco."

"You wouldn't. Neither of your boyfriends were that bad, anyway. Apart from the fact they were your boyfriends, obviously."

"Hey!" said Teddy. "I'd like to hear both these stories. Who's 'Cho'?"

"Urgh," groaned Harry. "I suppose 'a girl' would not be a sufficient answer for Your Highness?"

"You supposed right," relied Teddy, with a cheeky grin.

"She was a pretty girl – not as pretty as Ginny, of course – who was in 6th year. I was in 5th year at the time. I'd liked her for a while, and we went out on a Hogsmeade weekend-"

"- And he, very _tactfully_, asked her if it was ok if he went to meet Hermione at the Three Broomsticks."

"So? Hermione's his friend."

Ginny muttered something under her breath which sounded suspiciously like 'boys'.

"That's what I thought, Ted. But she started to go on about other boys, and then she began crying and asking me about Cedric."

"Why? That's a bit odd."

"He was her last boyfriend."

"Oh." Teddy could not think of anything else to say, "Oh."

"And then it got really awkward, and she stormed out. Hermione explained to me later that she was jealous and wanted to find out if I liked her or not. Why she couldn't have just asked beats me. Girls."

"Oi!" shouted Ginny, and whacked him lightly round the head, "Careful!"

"Okay, so what was Aunt Ginny doing when you were with Cho, then?" asked Teddy.

"Dating a boy."

"No, you were dating a Kneazle. I want the details."

"You're sounding like a girl," laughed Harry, the quickly moved his hand to the back of his head where Ginny had whacked him again. "That hurt!"

"I guess I've been spending too much time with Vic and Dom," said Teddy, ruefully.

"Hmm," said Harry.

"I dated a boy named Michael Corner from the end of 3rd to the end of 4th year," said Ginny.

"Not Mr. Corner from Corner's Corner Shop in Diagon Alley?" asked Teddy.

"The very same."

"Ick," said Teddy, and Harry voiced his agreement.

"Then from the end of 4th and for most of 5th I went out with Dean Thomas. Then at the end of 5th I was with Harry."

"Okay, okay, that's enough details. Other 6th year events?"

"I had private lessons with Dumbledore every so often."

"Really? What about? Voldemort?" Harry flinched.

"Yeah, pretty much. I learnt about his past, and also about his immortality."

"Voldemort was immortal? How on Earth did you kill him if he was _immortal_, Uncle Harry?"

"Being immortal doesn't mean you are unable to be killed. Basically –"

"You need to understand now, Ted," Ginny cut in, "that what we're about to tell you is really, really dark magic. And where Voldemort is concerned, it is highly confidential. You are _not_ to repeat this to anyone."

"Not even –"

"_Anyone_. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Aunt Ginny."

"Good. Would you like to continue, Harry?"

"Yes please. You-know-who created some objects called horcruxes."

"Horcruxes?"

"Don't interrupt, please, Ted. I know you're interested, and I don't blame you, but I am going to explain everything you don't know."

"Alright." Teddy looked down at his hands, then up into the green-eyed gaze of his godfather.

"A horcrux is an object that encases part of your soul. You cannot die completely if your soul hasn't been destroyed. That's the reason why You-know-who was able to come back after the killing curse rebounded on him. You-know-who made not only one, but several horcruxes."

"How do you make a horcrux?"

"I cannot tell you that, Ted. I wouldn't want to, anyway, but it is a ministry-protected secret. They don't want another Vol- You-know-who."

"Okay, so, did you destroy them all?"

"That, Teddy, would be going into my 7th year," he smiled to himself, "and I'd rather we did this chronologically if you don't want me to miss anything out."

"Okay." Teddy looked disappointed for a minute, then realised he's probably hear the tale before the weekend was over, and in any case, there were probably other cool things in Harry's 6th year.

"What was the most surprising event that year?" he asked.

"I'd have to say either, oh, I'm not sure. Either Ron confessing his love for Romilda Vane, or Ron getting poisoned. Both on his birthday. Probably the latter."

"Uncle Ron got poisoned? How – what – in Hogwarts? I can't believe that," Teddy said. "Well, at least, I couldn't if I hadn't heard about the last 5 years of your school life," he added.

"Well, our potions master gave Ron an antidote... I'd better start from the beginning, really. A girl called Romilda Vane gave me some chocolates at Christmas, but Hermione warned me that there was probably a love potion in them, so I chucked them under my bed. Somehow, on Ron's birthday they got mixed up with his pile of stuff, so he ate them. He was completely besotted with Romilda, which was quite funny, except he gave me a black eye for 'insulting' her. I took him to the potions master to ask for an antidote, and he recovered almost instantaneously. Then Professor Slughorn decided to celebrate by pouring us all a glass of mead. Ron drank it straight away, and was promptly poisoned. Luckily, Slughorn had a bezoar in the room, or Ron wouldn't be here." He said the last bit grimly.

"Wow, that's some birthday. Poor Uncle Ron," said Teddy.

"It certainly was an eventful one," replied Harry.

"Did you carry the DA on through 6th year?" asked Teddy.

"No, seeing as we had a competent defence teacher, even if we didn't like him. And that's reminded me of something else I haven't told you – I was made Quidditch Captain!"

"Cool!" said Teddy. "Who was in your team – anyone I know?"

"Well, Ginny and Ron for starters. Ron was keeper, Ginny chaser. The other chasers were Demelza Robins and Katie Bell, whom you've probably heard of. She now plays for Puddlemere United."

"Seriously? She and Oliver Wood are like, legends!" exclaimed Teddy excitedly, a Puddlemere fan himself.

"Oliver Wood was the keeper during my first three years of being on the team."

"No way! That is so cool. Why haven't you told me before. I'm jealous." Harry laughed.

"The beaters of '96 – '97 were Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote. I was seeker. We won the first match easily, lost the second dismally as Ron was still recovering from being poisoned, and the substitute keeper knocked me out with a bludger."

"He was a keeper."

"Yes."

"And he knocked you out with a bludger."

"Yes, with the bat he took off Peakes."

"What an idiot."

"Teddy!" Ginny admonished, but then thought better of it, "I agree." Teddy sniggered.

"And that makes three," quipped Harry, causing the other two to stare at him, "What? Hey, I'm a poet and I don't know it."

"Are you... quite okay... Uncle Harry?" asked Teddy in between fits of giggles, but then remembered that he didn't know the outcome of the Quidditch championship.

"And? Your last match? How far behind were you?"

"The Hufflepuff match – the disaster – put us down by around 300 points. So, obviously, we had to win by that amount when we were playing Ravenclaw."

"And guess who got put in detention the morning of the match?" Ginny said.

"You didn't, surely," said Teddy disbelievingly.

"No, I didn't, but your godfather did."

Teddy gaped. "But...what did you do for a seeker. Uncle Harry was apparently the best one at Hogwarts in his time."

"Doesn't mean there aren't others who can still do the job," smiled Ginny. "I was the seeker, and Dean Thomas, my ex by this time, was the replacement chaser."

"Did you win the match?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Ginny.

"By how much?"

"Two..." Teddy groaned.

"...Three hundred and ten points."

"You won the cup? Great! I knew you could do it."

"Uh, Ted, you do know this happened twelve years ago, right?"

"Yeah, so? You still captained Gryffindor to victory. What about 7th year Quidditch. I assume you were still captain, yes?"

"Um, actually, no. There wasn't actually any quidditch. Well, I don't think there was."

"What do you mean, you don't think so? You were at school there."

"6th year, Ted, 6th year. 7th year is for after dinner, at this rate."

"Oh, um, okay. End of 6th?"

"Dumbledore died. That's pretty much it."

"Okay, 7th now."

"Wait, you don't want to hear _how_ he dies or the events leading up to his death? Not that I'm dying to tell you or anything, but I'm surprised you're not more inquisitive."

"To be honest, I'm not really interested. Unless you're included. I know he was a really good wizard, and you all liked him, but he's just a name in a history book to me."

"I was involved."

"Oh. What happened?"

"Changed your mind now then?"

"Yeah. Luckily for you, you are not just a name in history. I wanted to hear about _you_, and I'd like to hear what I suppose, now I come to think of it, what made your year unquiet."

"Quite so. Dumbledore and I went looking for a horcrux. We found it but to get it Dumbledore had to drink some sort of potion – not quite a poison, but close to it. We got the locket, for that was the horcrux, and apparated back to Hogwarts. V-You-know-who's mark was over the castle, so we hurried back. I had my invisibility cloak on. To cut a long story short Malfoy – a student recently turned Death Eater – disarmed Dumbledore, and was supposed to kill him. He couldn't though; he was only the same age as me, a teenager. Then Snape came up and killed Dumbledore. We were on the astronomy tower and he...fell off."

"I'm so sorry. What were Dumbledore's last words?"

"They were, I believe, along the lines of 'Severus, please'."

"Who was Severus?"

"Snape."

"What, so he – wait, Severus? As in Al's middle name?"

"Yes."

"That's – I don't know what that is. Sick. Twisted. You named your son after Dumbledore, and his _murderer_?"

"Yes. But Ted, that seriously isn't the whole story. I stick to what I say; Snape was the bravest man I ever knew. Wait till you hear the rest of it. Now, I think its dinner time."

Teddy gave a curt nod and strode towards the door. Then he turned, and walked back to Harry.

"Are you going to come down and eat?" he asked.

"No, we're not. We'll go over to Ron and Hermione's to check up on the kids, but we'll be back at seven, if that's ok."

"Um, actually, could we stop? And do 7th year tomorrow. I really want to hear about this but I can wait. And I need to clear my head again." Harry nodded, and Ginny scooped Teddy into a hug.

"We understand. So, see you at ten tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah, that works." He eased out of Ginny's embrace and hugged Harry tightly. "And you _will_ come back, won't you?"

"Sure thing, Ted," Harry replied. A few minutes later, Teddy was ravenously tucking into his tea, and Harry and Ginny were at Ron and Hermione's, just beginning to recount what had happened that day...

**Ok, so, longest chapter so far, I believe. Sorry it took ages, again. **

**I'm at a loss as to what to do next. I'm either going to do another filler, if you'd like to read what happened at Ron and Hermione's, or what Teddy does next, as break, or I can go straight into the next morning and the retelling of 7****th**** year. It's your call. Just drop a review, and say what you'd like, and I'll take the majority Any other suggestions are also welcome...**

**Thank you for keeping up with me for so long, especially those who have alerted or favourited (or both!) this story. Also to my faithful beta, Scolander. But I'm afraid it will probably be another longish wait for the next chapter – I haven't even started on it yet. Hopefuly not as long as the last one but, you never know. I apologise in advance...**


	10. Chapter 9

**Here it is - the 'filler' chapter. I call it a mini-chapter, although it isn't all that shorter than my usual chapters, it just seems like it is. Sorry, again, for the long wait, I had a severe case of writers block, and I was putting it off for weeks. But the next instalment is, at last, here, and I hope you all enjoy it.**

_**Message from Scolander: Hi, this is Kwidditch's beta. Sorry for this to crop up in your inbox again, I had to re-upload it with this message; in case you didn't see her profile, Kwidditch has decided to leave fanfiction and she has (surprisingy) entrusted me with her account. For the moment I will just beta and upload some of her pieces she has half written until I get a feel for her writing style. So, thank you for reading her stories, she greatly appreciated it and I can only hope I do her writing justice.**_

Landing neatly on the doorstep, Harry knocked on the door of his best friends' house. Almost immediately it was answered, and when Hermione saw who it was, she threw himself on him.

"Harry! Ron, it's Harry. Are you okay? Ginny didn't tell us – oh, come in, come in." She headed inside, Ginny and Harry following. "We were so worried. Ginny, you never explained, we thought something truly dreadful had happened. Is Teddy ok?"

"Were the kids alright?" asked Ginny, avoiding the question. "I'm sorry to foist them on you, but I couldn't think of anyone else. Mum and dad have just left for France, you know, and..."

"They were absolutely fine," said Hermione, cutting her off. "Rosie and Hugo love having them over. I sent them all down to the river with Ron, they enjoyed it. But what _happened_ with you two?"

At that moment Ron came striding in. "Is tea nearly ready?" he asked "I am complete– I mean – the kids are getting hungry. Hi, Harry, Gin. You okay?"

"Yes, we're both fine, honestly," Harry replied. "Teddy too. Did you say tea? We could do with some, if you didn't mind, that is, Hermione."

"No, that's fine. I can just enlarge. It's no bother really," she said. A beeper started in the kitchen. "Ronald, go and call the kids in, would you? And you two," she added, turning to Ginny and Harry, "if you wouldn't mind, could you lay the tables please?"

"Sure." They both started to bustle round the tables, a small one for the kids, a bigger one for the adults. A few minutes and a couple of summoning spells later, the tables were set, and on them pots steaming with food.

"Now, Harry, we really must know why Ginny was all in a bother earlier. I'm guessing it had something to do with Teddy." Both Hermione and Ron had been told about Harry's weekend trip to Hogwarts.

"Yes, okay. Wait a sec." He cast _muffliato_ on the children's table, and started to speak.

"Basically, Teddy hit a nerve when he was asking me questions, and I got slightly...upset."

"More than slightly upset," said Ginny, in a tone not dissimilar to her mother's. "I'm not exactly sure what it was Teddy was asking – Harry refused to tell me – but I know it was something to do with the _Dursley's_." She spat out the name as if it were some sort of dirty word. "Anyway, she continued, "Harry, um, collapsed, for want of a better word, and Teddy called me using those mirrors Harry has. He showed me Harry on the bed, and couldn't' explain why, and so obviously I was in a panic because it was – it was almost like _then_. I was really quite scared. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I needed to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible."

"I understand." Hermione smiled knowingly. "Harry, what _did_ Teddy ask you that got you into such a state?"

Harry was silent, looking anywhere but the friendly but inquisitive faces surrounding him. Then, grudgingly, he whispered, "I almost hit him."

"What?" asked Ron sharply.

"I almost hit him, alright?" stated Harry again, this time verging on a shout. "I'm not proud of it. It just – happened." He added this softly again, blinking furiously.

"Oh, Harry." Hermione crossed to stand by his chair and put her hand on his shoulder. He immediately shrugged it off. "Why?"

"His questions were too...personal. And about stuff that happened years ago. I couldn't answer it. You guys have never been told – I don't know if you've even asked."

"Harry, mate, this isn't like you. Normally something like that would never even pass your mind," Ron said.

"I know," muttered Harry. "Don't make me feel worse, Ron."

"What was the question, Harry?"

"Otherwise what."

"And that means...?"

Harry sat in silence for another few minutes. He then decided to tell them part of it – Teddy would tell them anyway sooner or later if he didn't.

"He wanted to know why I didn't rebel against my aunt's and uncle's rules. I told him it was just the way it was."

"Otherwise..." Ron added. "You said the question was '_otherwise what'_? What is the answer?"

Harry sighed. "I don't want to go through this again, _please_. I told Ted that I couldn't tell him, and I cannot tell you either. Sorry. But don't go on, or I'll get angry again, and I really don't want to Get Mad."

His three companions all looked at each other, silently communicating. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Okay, we'll try not to mention it again," Hermione said. Then, changing the subject, she asked how Teddy took the tale of Harry's Hogwarts years.

"Better than I thought he would, actually. He was very mature about it, although he did get upset at hearing some parts, didn't he, Ginny. But I think he enjoyed finding out about me, about us, on the whole."

"Hmm, it's something we ought to talk about more," Hermione said, the other three looking her in surprise, "Hogwarts, I mean. Not everything, obviously, but some stuff, like Quidditch, or something. Just because it was... Before the war, we all seem to clam up about it. I know," she hastily continued, "it can be hard, but," she carried on, "school stories should really be in abundance, even with the war separating us and then. Our kids won't get to know half the things that others know about their parents if we don't start opening up. It's been years now."

Her speech finished, Hermione walked back to her place (she had still been standing by Harry), and put her head on Ron's shoulder.

"I agree," said Ron, stroking Hermione's hair. Our children will start wanting to know about Hogwarts soon. We don't have to tell them about Voldemort and the rest of it until we think they're ready – I know you've told Al and James, Harry, but the others can wait. We could tell them other stories though, harmless ones, like the troll..."

"That troll was not harmless, Ron," interrupted Hermione. "It almost killed us all."

"Okay, okay. Harmless ones like – the love potion in 6th year?"

"That almost killed you."

"Oh yeah. Hard, isn't it? Um, Norbert?"

Before Hermione could start about how she didn't want her children being given bad ideas, Harry spoke up.

"You two, I think it's going to be hard to find 'harmless' stories of our Hogwarts years. They were kind of irrevocably bound up with Voldemort, and mischief, and trouble. I say we answer any questions truthfully, and if it's too complicated to explain without the whole story, we tell them it."

"Says you," said Ron, but without any malice.

"I know I'm a slight hypocrite, Ron, but... It isn't like they're not going to find out through some means or another. Look at Teddy. I don't want any of the others finding out through something, or someone other than ourselves, agreed?"

They all nodded.

"Yes," said Ginny, firmly, "but only if they ask. They are going to, for sure. I guess this extends to the whole Weasley – Potter family."

"Definitely," said Harry. "And I think also the Scamanders and the Longbottoms. They have a right too, to know the later stuff, anyway." Everyone nodded again, respectful of the role that both Neville and Luna, above all others, had played in both their lives then, and still played now.

"Will you be up for it, dear?" asked Ginny gently, taking his hand in hers.

He looked at her.

"I don't know," he said, truthfully, "but I'll try."

**I need to say an extra-special thank you to a very faithful reviewer – Starzinmieyez. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you for encouraging me to write this chapter, I probably would have forgone it completely had you not reviewed.**

**Also, as ever, thanks to my beta Scolander.**

**The next chapter probably won't be finished for weeks. I haven't started on it yet, and I don't really have much of an idea about it, other than the fact that it's going to be the last ever chapter (probably!), and Harry will tell the story of 7****th**** year to Teddy. Suggestions will be appreciated (but I won't wait with baited breath).**

**Sorry for the unusually long AN, sorry for the wait for this chapter, and in advance for the next. But I will never give up on this last chapter, however long it takes me to write :) **


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10, my last chapter ever, is finally up. Thank you to everyone who has supported it – you are on my Roll of Honour. Sorry for the wait, and the haste with which this has been written, but I'm not on fanfiction after this day, so I had to finish this quickly.**

_**Scolander: Okay, Kwidditch wrote this chapter as well, I just beta-d again.**_

* * *

><p>Teddy paced up and down the Room of Requirement, which was currently imitating the Gryffindor dormitories. Every time he heard footsteps down the corridor, which wasn't often, he ran to the window looking out onto it, and had been disappointed several times now.<p>

Hearing more footsteps, and feeling certain that it would be his Aunt and Uncle this time, he peered out of the window once more. Seeing the pair making their way towards the Room, he checked that no-one else was around, and opened up the door.

"Uncle Harry! Auntie Gin!" he exclaimed.

"Teddy," Harry replied, smiling at the boy, and embraced him tightly. "How are you?"

"Not that different from yesterday," said Teddy, "Come on!"

Once inside the room, Teddy, as usual, began the questioning.

"When you were talking about 7th year, you said you didn't know about the quidditch. How come?"

"Um... I kind of skipped school that year."

"What? Seriously? But why?"

"Because I had to go looking for those things called Horcruxes, so I couldn't go to school. I'd made my mind up by the end of 6th. Also, by the time September 1st actually came, You-know-who had taken over the ministry, so I couldn't even if I wanted to."

"So were you on your own, or did Uncle Ron and Aunt Mione come with you? And how long was before you found them all."

"Ron and Hermione did come with me, so I wasn't alone, but it wasn't until April 29th that I came back."

"So a few weeks after my birthday, then."

"Yes, Teddy. I'm sorry to say it was that night that both your parents died."

"The day you came back?"

"Yes. We came to Hogwarts to look for the last Horcrux, and You-know-who realised I was there, so he came to start a fight. The students also thought I had come back to initiate a 'final battle.' That wasn't my intention, but it happened."

"Oh. And my dad and mum... They both just came to join the fight."

"At first it was just your dad, but your mum couldn't bear not fighting alongside him. They loved you both, very much Teddy, so they came to fight so that you could grow up in a better world without any fear of an evil tyrant."

Teddy sniffed. "I'd rather have my mum and dad"

"I know, Ted, I know. It's hard. I'd like to have known my mum and dad too. But they weren't fighting because they didn't love you, you must understand. They were fighting because they loved you, and wanted the best for you."

"I understand - ish."

"What else do you want to know?"

"Nothing, right now. Can I have a moment?"

"Of course."

And for a few minutes both Harry and Teddy mourned their dead parents, and Ginny mourned her brother, and all the others lost in the war, until Teddy broke the silence again.

"How did you defeat Voldemort in the end?"

"We had a duel, and – oh – it's quite confusing really."

"You killed him."

"Yes, but... Ginny, can you explain."

"You know The Tale of the Three Brothers, Ted."

"Yes."

"Well, the magical items in it are true. Harry is still technically the master of all of them."

"Wow! Is that how you beat him, then?"

"Not really, though they did help. Because I was the master of the elder wand, but You-Know-Who had stolen it, it couldn't kill me when he cast Avada Kedavra. I cast expelliarmus, and somehow the Killing curse rebounded on him, while the elder wand flew into my hand. It's all a bit of a blur if I'm honest, Ted"

"Harry, are you going to tell him about the – you know – before that?"

"Why should I?"

"I was just wondering. It's in most history books, so he'll be able to find out if he really wants to anyway, and I think you'd prefer to tell him yourself.

"I guess so..." Harry sighed. This was something he really didn't want to talk about.

"What are you going to tell me, Uncle Harry?"

"Basically, there was a time in the battle where I found out I was... I was... one of V – You-Know-Who's horcruxes. There, said it."

Teddy's face and hair went grey.

"But- you just said –I thought all Horcruxes had to be destroyed."

"They did."

"But – how did you destroy yourself?"

"I gave myself up to You-Know-Who."

"What? Uncle Harry, you couldn't have! For one thing you're still alive. But you – you were going to let yourself be killed for the sake of killing Voldemort."

Harry flinched. "Yes, Teddy, yes I was. I couldn't have the responsibility of more deaths on my shoulders if I didn't give myself up."

"But what about me?"

"If I had lived, you might have died." Harry was close to crying now, "I couldn't have lived with myself if that had happened."

"So, what happened, when you gave yourself up to Voldemort?"

"He killed me. But I was somehow given the chance to live again, because he had only killed his own soul inside of me, so... I'm here now."

"Didn't he figure you were alive?"

"No, he didn't."

Ginny broke in. "It was – horrible, Teddy. Hagrid was made to carry him back, and Harry was pretending to be dead. SO we all saw him and – and – we all thought he had died. It was one of the worst moments in my life. Harry w-was dead, and I couldn-" She could not continue, but the tears broke freely over her face.

"So, what were the other Horcruxes, then?" Teddy asked bravely, trying to move the story on.

"You remember the diary I stabbed with a fang?"

"Yes."

"That was the first. The second was a ring which Dumbledore destroyed. The third was a locket which Ron destroyed, the fourth was a cup which Hermione destroyed, the fifth was a diadem which one of You-Know-Who's followers accidentally destroyed, the sixth was me, and the seventh was You-Know-Who's snake, Nagini."

"Okay." Teddy felt as if the story that his godfather had hidden from him for all these years was finally complete. "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Uncle Harry?" he asked.

"I never wanted to tell you any of this in the first place. But no, there isn't anything else I can think of. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

"Only this, what happened after school? I mean, after that year? Did you go back and do your N.E.W.T.S?"

"No, actually I was allowed to enroll right into auror training, with Ron, as Kingsley thought I'd done enough during the past year to prove myself. I went through it quickly, and soon became an auror."

"When did you get back together with Aunt Ginny?" Teddy asked cheekily.

"Not for ages," answered Ginny again, "because he was being stupid."

"What's new there then?" asked Teddy, but Ginny and Harry didn't laugh, or even tell him off, only giving each other weak smiles.

"What?" asked Teddy.

"Nothing," said Harry. "But I think we may as well stop there. It's nearly lunch time, and you've got school tomorrow. Go and hang out with your friends, yeah?"

Teddy realised that this was the place to stop. _There may be some things I never know about Uncle Harry_, he thought,_ but I won't badger him or betray his trust by looking in history books. I know where to stop now_.

"Okay," he said. "I will. See you at Christmas." He hugged them both goodbye, then went out to find his friends. Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, tears in their eyes.

"That wasn't so bad, was it Harry?" asked Ginny, even though she was glad that it was all over.

"I love you," said Harry as means of replying. "Come on, let's get back to the others."

* * *

><p><strong>Once again, thank you for all the support. I have enjoyed writing this, but it is time to put down my keyboard and pen. I'm especially sorry to Trishbeanx7, as I won't finish Ever Faithful. Sorry.<strong>

**_Message from Scolander (again): Kwidditch has also given me a Roll of Honour to post. I hope you guys wish her the beset of luck as we have a very tough year of school ahead of us (I kid you not! This is going to be one of the toughest years of our lives if our teachers are to be believed)._  
><strong>

Thank you so much to EVERYONE on this list. You have, at some point or another, been the highlight of my day, and although, obviously I write for myself, it is to you, the audience who bother to show their appreciation, whom this story is written for. So I thought I'd share my gratitude by writing out this list of people. I am quite amazed at how many there are, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

And I'm sorry if I spelt your name wrong. Or worse, if I've missed you out.

And I promise to add every single person from here on who also deserves to be on here. Honest.

**My Roll of Honour**

**Beta**: Scolander -(Everyone should thank her because this story would have fallen to pieces without her. There would be mistakes tenfold. Thank You, you amazing bean!)

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